Americana Highways Talks "Rhythm Of The Rain"

Song Premiere: Amelia White’s “Said It Like A King” From Upcoming Album “Rhythm Of The Rain”

Americana Highways brings you this song premiere of “Said It Like A King,” a teaser from Amelia White’s album Rhythm of the Rain, due to be released in January. The album was produced by Dave Coleman; the song features White and Coleman on guitars, Sergio Webb on guitars and banjo, Megan Jane on drums. The album has both bassists Dave Jacques and Parker Hawkin; a duet with Will Kimbrough and an appearance by the Anti Bigotry choir, among other guests.

If you are a “lyrics-first” person this is going to resonate with you deeply, and if you like prominent rhythms, this shuffle beat will carry you all the way along. “Said It Like a King” moves from school yard bullies, to bullies from the pulpit; winding up with a warning that little eyes and ears are watching and growing up to repeat the cycle. The message here is a sober one; seemingly innocent displays of violence in play may affect little boys in ways that are far from innocent. “Just child’s words, you say it don’t mean a thing,” carry a sober reminder of the way a child’s loss of innocence can translate into entitled supremacy later in life.

This song was written years ago with one of my favorite artists, Lori McKenna. It started as a tune about bullies on a school bus, and grew in content to explore the religious and political varieties and tie them all back in to the child at the end, thanks to a twist provided by third writer, Lorne Entress. With films like Boy Erased out in theaters, and the political environment we live in it seems like such a timely song, so I re-recorded it. It’s at the heart of the 12 songs on Rhythm of the Rain, and I love its very specific and raw feel. — Amelia White

It’s not going out on a limb to say that what Amelia White is creating is atypical to what women in Americana are doing in general these days. This is much darker and grittier, which renders it a welcome relief. This is a wonderful song as a harbinger of the album to come; keep an eye out for this one here: http://www.ameliawhite.com/ while you listen for yourself, here: